Asian and Pacific Islander communities

Updated October 11, 2023
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LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)
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Love in the library
Tokuda-Hall, Maggie
Paper Book
"A powerful must-read."--Booklist (starred review) Set in an incarceration camp where the United States cruelly detained Japanese Americans during WWII and based on true events, this moving love story finds hope in heartbreak. To fall in love is already a...

Picture Book

The many colors of Harpreet Singh
Kelkar, Supriya
Paper Book
Harpreet Singh has a different color for every mood and occasion, from happy sunny yellow to courageous red. He especially takes care with his patka--his turban--making sure it always matches his outfit. But when Harpreet's mom finds a new job in a snowy city and they have to move,...

Picture Book

The boy who tried to shrink his name
Parappukkaran, Sandhya
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Alma and How She Got Her Name and Your Name Is a Song, author Sandhya Parappukkaranand illustrator Michelle Pereira'spicture book The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Nameencourages readers to take up space and support each other...

Picture Book

The ocean calls : a haenyeo mermaid story
Cho, Tina M.
Paper Book
A breathtaking picture book featuring a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother about intergenerational bonds, finding courage in the face of fear, and connecting with our natural world. Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast...

Picture Book

Paper son : the inspiring story of Tyrus Wong, immigrant and artist
Leung, Julie
Paper Book
Winner of the American Library Association's 2021 Asian/Pacific American Award for Best Picture Book!   An inspiring picture-book biography of animator Tyrus Wong, the Chinese American immigrant responsible for bringing Disney's Bambi to life. ...

Picture Book

Chloe's Lunar New Year
LaMotte, Lily
Paper Book
Lily LaMotte, brilliant author of the graphic novel Measuring Up, an ALA Top Ten, has written her debut picture book about a special Lunar New Year feast. Perfect for fans of Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin and I Am Golden by Eva Chen. "Themes of love and family...

Picture Book

A big mooncake for Little Star
Lin, Grace
Paper Book
When Little Star's mother bakes a delicious-looking mooncake, she leaves it in the night sky to cool. But it looks so tasty that Little Star can't wait, and every night she must take a little nibble of the perfectly round confection until instead of a glowing, round cookie, there is only a...

Picture Book

The name jar
Choi, Yangsook
Paper Book
A heartwarming story about the new girl in school, and how she learns to appreciate her Korean name. Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what happens when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious about fitting in. So instead of...

Picture Book

Prairie lotus
Park, Linda Sue
Paper Book
Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered novel about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father's shop, and making at least one friend. Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian...

Juvenile Fiction

Drawn together
Lê, Minh
Paper Book
The recipient of six starred reviews and the APALA Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature!   Named a Best Book of 2018 by the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Smithsonian, Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Booklist, the...

Picture Book

Front desk
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
Four starred reviews and over ten best-of-year lists!* "Many readers will recognize themselves or their neighbors in these pages." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review Front Desk joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus...

Juvenile Fiction

Eyes that kiss in the corners
Ho, Joanna
Paper Book
A New York Times Bestseller and #1 Indie Bestseller · A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year · A School Library Journal Best Book of 2021 · Included in NPR's 2021 Books We Love List · Featured in Forbes, Oprah Daily, The Cut, and Book Riot · Golden Poppy Book Award...

Picture Book

Maizy Chen's last chance
Yee, Lisa
Paper Book
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD WINNER . NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST . ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family's Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family. NAMED...

Juvenile Fiction

Finally seen
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Front Desk comes a "involving, realistic" (Booklist, starred review) middle grade novel about a young girl who leaves China to live with her parents and sister, after five years apart, and learns about family, friendship, and the...

Juvenile Fiction

When you trap a tiger
Keller, Tae
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL . WINNER OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE . #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings Korean folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of...

Juvenile Fiction

Fauja Singh keeps going : the true story of the oldest person to ever run a marathon
Singh, Simran Jeet
Paper Book
The true story of Fauja Singh, who broke world records to become the first one hundred-year-old to run a marathon, shares valuable lessons on the source of his grit, determination to overcome obstacles, and commitment to positive representation of the Sikh community. Every...

Juvenile Non Fiction

It began with a page : how Gyo Fujikawa drew the way
Maclear, Kyo
Paper Book
* 4 Starred Reviews * * An Indie Next List Pick * "Playful, bold, and, much like its subject, full of grace." --Jillian Tamaki, Caldecott Honor winner for This One Summer "It Began with a Page tells [Gyo Fujikawa's] story beautifully, in picture-book form."...

Juvenile Non Fiction

Parachute kids
Tang, Betty C.
Paper Book
**National Book Award Longlist Title** **Asian/Pacific American Award Honor Book** This funny, fast-paced, and heartrending story about three siblings living on their own as undocumented new immigrants is perfect for fans of New Kid and Front Desk....

Juvenile Graphic

My aunt is a monster
Yee, Reimena
Paper Book
Curses! Adventures! And drama! Oh my! Safia might not be able to see the world, but that doesn't mean she can't experience it to the fullest as she finds herself on her very first adventure! This is a contemporary fantasy middle-grade graphic novel about discovering what you are truly capable of....

Juvenile Graphic Novel

Stargazing
Wang, Jen
Paper Book
Stargazing is a heartwarming middle-grade graphic novel in the spirit of Frizzy and Mexikid, from New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Jen Wang. Moon is everything Christine isn't. She's confident, impulsive, artistic . . . and though they...

Juvenile Graphic Novel

Permanent record
Choi, Mary H. K.
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller An NPR Favorite Book of 2019 A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of 2019 From the New York Times bestselling author of Emergency Contact, which Rainbow Rowell called "smart and funny," comes an unforgettable...

Young Adult Fiction

Last night at the Telegraph Club
Lo, Malinda
Paper Book
Winner of the National Book Award A New York Times Bestseller "The queer romance we've been waiting for."--Ms. Magazine Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can't remember exactly when the feeling took root--that desire to look, to move closer, to touch....

Young Adult Fiction

The downstairs girl
Lee, Stacey
Paper Book
A Reese's Book Club YA Pick and New York Times Bestseller   From the critically acclaimed author of Luck of the Titanic, Under a Painted Sky, and Outrun the Moon comes a powerful novel about identity, betrayal, and the meaning of family.

Young Adult and Adult Fiction

Family style memories of an American from Vietnam
Pham, Thien
Paper Book
YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction Finalist Eisner Award Winner for Best Graphic MemoirAn NPR Best Books of 2023 A moving young adult graphic memoir about a Vietnamese immigrant boy's search for belonging in America, perfect for fans of American...

Young Adult Graphic Novel

Stay true : a memoir
Hsu, Hua
Paper Book
PULITZER PRIZE WINNER * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A gripping memoir on friendship, grief, the search for self, and the solace that can be found through art, by the New Yorker staff writer Hua Hsu "This book is exquisite and excruciating and I will be...

Adult Non Fiction

Pachinko
Lee, Min Jin
Paper Book
In this New York Times bestseller, four generations of a poor Korean immigrant family fight to control their destiny in 20th-century Japan-the inspiration for the television series on Apple TV+.  In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored...

Adult Fiction

Hungry ghost
Ying, Victoria
Paper Book
A beautiful and heart-wrenching young adult graphic novel takes a look at eating disorders, family dynamics, and ultimately, a journey to self-love. Valerie Chu is quiet, studious, and above all, thin. No one, not even her best friend Jordan, knows that she has been binging and...

Young Adult Graphic Novel

Superman smashes the Klan : the graphic novel
Yang, Gene Luen
Paper Book
Harvey Award winner for Best Children or Young Adult Book! The year is 1946. Teenagers Roberta and Tommy Lee just moved with their parents from Chinatown to the center of Metropolis, home to the famous hero, Superman. Tommy makes friends quickly, while Roberta pines for home....

Young Adult Graphic Novel

The magic fish
Nguyen, Trung Le
Paper Book
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by New York Public Library . Kirkus Reviews . Booklist . Publishers Weekly In this gorgeous debut graphic novel, fairy tales are the only way one boy can communicate with his Vietnamese immigrant parents. But how will he find the...

Young Adult Graphic Novel Non Fiction

In limbo
Lee, Deborah
Paper Book
A debut YA graphic memoir about a Korean-American girl's coming-of-age story--and a coming home story--set between a New Jersey suburb and Seoul, South Korea. Ever since Deborah (Jung-Jin) Lee emigrated from South Korea to the United States, she's felt her otherness.

Young Adult Graphic Novel Non Fiction

Arsenic and adobo
Manansala, Mia P.
Paper Book
In the small town of Shady Palms, Illinois, Lila Macapagal and her relatives run Tita Rosie's Kitchen, serve delicious Flipino dishes, and solve crimes on the side.

Adult Fiction

The poppy war
Kuang, R. F.
Paper Book
One of Time Magazine's 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time "I have no doubt this will end up being the best fantasy debut of the year...I have absolutely no doubt that [Kuang's] name will be up there with the likes of Robin Hobb and N.K. Jemisin." -- Booknest From #1...

Adult Fiction

The Wangs vs. the world
Chang, Jade
Paper Book
The Wangs vs. the World is an outrageously funny tale about a wealthy Chinese-American family that "loses it all, then takes a healing, uproarious road trip across the United States" (Entertainment Weekly). Their spectacular fall from riches to rags...

Adult Fiction

Interior Chinatown
Yu, Charles
Paper Book
NOW A HULU ORIGINAL SERIES * NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER * "A shattering and darkly comic send-up of racial stereotyping in Hollywood" (Vanity Fair) and a deeply personal novel about race, pop culture, immigration, assimilation, and escaping the roles we...

Adult Fiction

Gold diggers
Sathian, Sanjena
Paper Book
One of The Washington Post's 10 Best Books of 2021 * One of NPR's Best Books of 2021 * New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice * Long-listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize "Dizzyingly original, fiercely funny, deeply wise." --Celeste Ng, #1...

Adult Fiction

The tea girl of Hummingbird Lane : a novel
See, Lisa
Paper Book
A thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa See explores the lives of a Chinese mother and her daughter who has been adopted by an American couple. Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. There is ritual...

Adult Fiction

The Joy Luck Club
Tan, Amy
Paper Book
"The Joy Luck Club is one of my favorite books. From the moment I first started reading it, I knew it was going to be incredible. For me, it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime reading experiences that you cherish forever. It inspired me as a writer and still remains hugely inspirational."...

Adult Fiction

Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet : a novel
Ford, Jamie
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * "An impressive, bitter, and sweet debut that explores the age-old conflicts between father and son, the beauty and sadness of what happened to Japanese Americans in the Seattle era during World War II, and the depths and longing of deep-heart love."--Lisa...

Adult Fiction

The verifiers
Pek, Jane
Paper Book
ONE OF THE WASHINGTON POST'S BEST MYSTERY BOOKS OF THE YEAR * Introducing Claudia Lin: a sharp-witted amateur sleuth for the 21st century. This debut novel follows Claudia as she verifies people's online lives, and lies, for a dating detective agency in New York City. Until...

Adult Fiction

The very secret society of irregular witches
Mandanna, Sangu
Paper Book
Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, and is used to keeping her head down with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos 'pretending' to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously. But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and...

Adult Fiction

The family Chao : a novel
Chang, Lan Samantha
Paper Book
The residents of Haven, Wisconsin, have dined on the Fine Chao restaurant's delicious Americanized Chinese food for thirty-five years, content to ignore any unsavory whispers about the family owners. Whether or not Big Leo Chao is honest, or his wife, Winnie, is happy, their food tastes good and...

Adult Fiction

Hula : a novel
Hakes, Jasmin 'Iolani
Paper Book
Named a Best Book of the Summer by Harper's Bazaar and ELLE * Audiofile Magazine Earphones Award Winner * HONOLULU Magazine's Book of the Year About Hawai`i "Stunning . . . An intricately built novel that spans decades, moving in and out of a collective voice, while...

Adult Fiction

The school for good mothers : a novel
Chan, Jessamine
Paper Book
Longlisted for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel Longlisted for the 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence Shortlisted for The Center for Fiction 2022 First Novel Prize Selected as One of Barack Obama's Favorite Books of 2022! In...

Adult Fiction

Skinship : stories
Choi, Yoon
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE PEN/ROBERT W. BINGHAM PRIZE * LONGLISTED FOR THE STORY PRIZE * The breathtaking debut of an important new voice--centered on a constellation of Korean American families "To encounter these achingly truthful, beautiful stories of newcomer Americans is like gazing...

Adult Fiction

Chlorine : a novel
Song, Jade
Paper Book
In the vein of The Pisces and The Vegetarian, Chlorine is a debut novel that blurs the line between a literary coming-of-age narrative and a dark unsettling horror tale, told from an adult perspective on the trials and tribulations of growing up in a society that puts...

Adult Fiction

The bandit queens : a novel
Shroff, Parini
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK * A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful--until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands--in this razor-sharp debut.

Adult Fiction

The best we could do : an illustrated memoir
Bui, Thi
Paper Book
National bestseller ABA Indies Introduce Winter / Spring 2017 Selection Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Spring 2017 Selection An intimate and poignant graphic novel portraying one family's journey from war-torn Vietnam, from debut author Thi Bui. ...

Adult Non Fiction Graphic Novel

House of sticks : a memoir
Tran, Ly
Paper Book
New York City Book Awards Hornblower Award Winner One of Vogue and NPR's Best Books of the Year This beautifully written "masterclass in memoir" (Elle) recounts a young girl's journey from war-torn Vietnam to Queens, New York, "showcas...

Adult Non Fiction

We Were Dreamers : An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story
Simu.
Paper Book
#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  "Like your favourite superhero, within the first few pages, this book made me feel like I could do anything." --Shifter Magazine   "This real-life hero's journey is a knockout." --Publishers...

Adult Non Fiction

What my bones know : a memoir of healing from complex trauma
Foo, Stephanie
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A searing memoir of reckoning and healing by acclaimed journalist Stephanie Foo, investigating the little-understood science behind complex PTSD and how it has shaped her life "Achingly exquisite . . . providing real hope for those who long to heal....

Adult Non Fiction

The stand-up groomsman
Lau, Jackie
Paper Book
They say to never meet your heroes, but when Vivian Liao's roommate gets engaged to her favorite actor's costar, she has no choice but to come face-to-face with Melvin Lee again. He's just as funny and handsome as he is on-screen... but thinks she is a snob and a sellout. The only thing uniting them...

Adult Fiction

Portrait of a thief : a novel
Li, Grace D.
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An Edgar Award Nominee for Best First Novel Longlisted for the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize Named a New York Times Best Crime Novel of 2022 Named A Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by *Marie Claire* *...

Adult Fiction

Afterparties : stories
So, Anthony Veasna
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE'S JOHN LEONARD PRIZE FOR BEST FIRST BOOK  WINNER OF THE FERRO-GRUMLEY AWARD FOR LGBTQ FICTION Named a Best Book of the Year by: New York Times * NPR * Washington Post * LA Times * Kirkus Reviews...

Adult Fiction

Black water sister
Cho, Zen
Paper Book
A finalist for the 2022 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel One of BookPage's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2021 One of Tor.com Reviewers' Choice Best Books of 2021 One of Book Riot's Best SFF Standalones of 2021 "Ghosts. Gods....

Adult Fiction

The empress of salt and fortune
Vo, Nghi
Paper Book
Winner of the 2020 Crawford Award! Winner of the 2021 Hugo Award! A Hugo Award-Winning Series! A 2021 Locus Award Finalist A 2021 Ignyte Award Finalist A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist A Book Riot Best Debut Fantasy of All...

Adult Fiction

Why not me?
Kaling, Mindy
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the author of Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and creator of The Mindy Project and Never Have I Ever comes a hilarious collection of essays about her ongoing journey to find contentment and excitement...

Adult Non Fiction

Crying in H Mart : a memoir
Zauner, Michelle
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * From the indie rock sensation known as Japanese Breakfast, an unforgettable memoir about family, food, grief, love, and growing up Korean American--"in losing her mother and cooking to bring her back to life, Zauner became herself" (NPR). * CELEBRATING...

Adult Non Fiction

Cook real Hawai i
Simeon, Sheldon
Paper Book
The story of Hawaiian cooking, by a two-time Top Chef finalist and Fan Favorite, through 100 recipes that embody the beautiful cross-cultural exchange of the islands. ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR- The New Yorker . ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE...

Adult Non Fiction

Monstress. Volume one, Awakening
Liu, Marjorie M.
Paper Book
2018 Eisner Award winner, Best Writer"" open="" /> 2018 Eisner Award winner, Best Painter/Multimedia Artist"" open="" /> 2018 Eisner Award winner, Best Continuing Series"" open="" /> 2018 Eisner Award winner, Best Publication for Teens"" />

Teen and Adult Graphic novel

Year of the tiger : an activist's life
Wong, Alice
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER . ONE OF USA TODAY'S MUST-READ BOOKS . This groundbreaking memoir offers a glimpse into an activist's journey to finding and cultivating community and the continued fight for disability justice, from the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project ...

Adult Non Fiction


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